Pontiac murder case headed for circuit court

By CAROL HOPKINS

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

The case of a Pontiac man accused of killing a 32-year-old mother of three after raping her has been bound over to circuit court.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A Wednesday story about Bobbie Lee Taylor, charged with the rape and killing of Pontiac mother of three Rosaline Ransom-Lee, should have stated testimony was given that Matthew Caffy had an on and off again relationship with Ransom-Lee.

Taylor is charged with one count of first-degree murder, accused of killing Rosaline Ransom-Lee, as well as one count of first-degree felony murder and one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

He also was charged in a separate 2012 case, which involves single counts of home invasion, assault with intent to commit sexual penetration and larceny for allegedly stealing another victim's phone in the 300 block of Baldwin in Pontiac.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, the case against Taylor came to light when DNA evidence collected during Ransom-Lee's autopsy confirmed his involvement in the case. He was arrested June 5 and lodged for a parole violation unrelated to the homicide.

According to sheriff's office authorities, Taylor has numerous prior convictions for possessing stolen property, drugs, aggravated assault, escape from prison and being an habitual offender, for which he was on parole. He was released from prison in May 2012 and is on parole until May 2014, officials said.

Heather Vitta, a DNA analysis expert at Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Northville, testified that she performed DNA tests on the evidence collected at the crime scene and her findings suggest that Taylor had sex with the victim.

On Tuesday morning, six witnesses were called to provide testimony.

Another witness, Matthew Caffy of Pontiac, said he had a daughter with Ransom-Lee. On May 26, he said Ransom-Lee called him to request money to help pay for items such as diapers for the baby.

Caffy, who was working late in downtown Pontiac, agreed to meet Ransom-Lee in her white van out in front of his downtown office.

"At 3:17 a.m., she called to say she was downstairs," said Caffy.

When Caffy walked down to meet her, he said the van pulled out of its parking place and drove off.

Caffy said he didn't know what had happened and began making calls to Ransom-Lee to find out what had changed. He said, despite the many calls, she never returned his call.

"Rosaline was a strong woman. I thought she was angry from having to wait (for me to come downstairs)," Caffy said.

Caffy kept calling Ransom-Lee's phone. Then between 9 and 10 a.m. May 26, a man named Marcus Warner answered, saying he had found the phone in pieces near a Pontiac Eastside market and put the phone together. He told Caffy he wanted a reward for finding it.

Caffy met with Warner, gave him $5 for beer.

"There were pictures of Rosaline on the phone," he said, wiping away tears. Caffy then arranged to meet with the Pontiac Oakland County Sheriff's deputies and he gave them the phone.

Lamont Bryant of Pontiac testified that he told police he had seen a white van with a woman's open purse and children's items inside sitting near Legrande and Burt on May 26 and 27.

Bryant said he called police because, had the same happened to him, "I wished somebody would report mine."

Crime scene specialist Robert Charleton with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said he was called May 26 after officers notified him a black female's body was found floating in Terry Lake in Pontiac.

Groceries were also found strewn around the scene. Blood was found on a child's art folder and one American Eagle shoe.

Jamar Carter said he had been with Taylor, whom he called "Bee," the night before. He said he and Taylor and a woman named Michelle were up late "hanging out" on May 25 and May 26. Carter said in court he wanted to watch Taylor and the woman have sex in Carter's basement but the plan didn't work out. Taylor and Michelle left Carter's home on Bassett. The next morning, Carter said he couldn't find a bag he kept medicine and other items in.

At one point when defense attorney Ray Correll was questioning him about what had occurred that evening, Carter balked, saying the questions about how much pain medication he takes were "irrelevant."